The Sunday Mail - 01.09.2019

Do you really need

to wash your legs

in the shower?

Hygiene expert Dr Lisa

Ackerley says: ‘Generally, the

answer is no because soapy

water trickles down them

when you have a shower.

‘But if you’ve been

gardening, doing DIY or

had bare legs out in the

summer, a scrub of soap

wouldn’t go amiss to get rid

of any dirt and grime.

‘And if you’ve been doing

watersports in potentially

contaminated water, then

washing with soap is

important to remove any

dangerous bacteria you

could have picked up.’

Ask a Stupid

QueStion

September 1 • 2019 The Mail on Sunday

Email [email protected] or write to Health, The Mail on Sunday, 2 Derry Street, London W8 5TT. Dr Ellie can only answer in a

general context and cannot respond to individual cases, or give personal replies. If you have a health concern, always consult your own GP.

A serious outbreak of gender bias

I’M not surprised that women suffer longer

delays before they are diagnosed than men,

as was revealed last week. Almost 500,000

British women endure 11 GP appointments

before reaching a correct diagnosis,

according to statistics collated by law firm

Bolt Burdon Kemp. only a third as many men

experienced the same shocking delays.

Many doctors see conditions such as heart

disease – one of the UK’s biggest killers – as

‘male issues’, so don’t suspect it in women.

Some female patients are fobbed off with a

diagnosis of period pain or a ‘hormonal’ issue.

And women are far more likely to put on a

front for the family, coping with painful

symptoms alone for far too long.

We women need to be aware of the gender

bias and not take no for an answer.

Ask Dr Ellie

The gp who’s always here for you

Health^59

Helping Hand

GADGets to mAke LI fe

wItH joInt pAI n eAsIer

THE latest drug shortage

concerns the contraceptive

Pill. Last week reports emerged of

national shortages of commonly

prescribed brands such as Loestrin

and Cilest. My advice to those

affected is NOT to go to your GP for

answers. Instead, ask a pharmacist

what other types of pill are available,

then go to your GP to get an

alternative prescription. Luckily,

there are many different brands.

WheelAir

cooling backrest

this is the first wheelchair

cushion that provides

personalised temperature

control, keeping users

comfortable and cool

whatever the weather.

Charged via UsB, the

built-in silent fans can be

set to four levels of

intensity, depending on

your need.

wheelair.co.uk, £650

I HAVE battled crippling migraines for

many years and they are usually managed by

Migraleve tablets. But my GP tells me there

is a national shortage of the drugs. Are there

any suitable alternatives?

IT Is estimated that about six million

Britons regularly suffer migraines.

Migraleve has been one of the most popular

treatments for several years.

The drug comes in two versions – yellow and

pink. The yellow tablets are taken at the start

of the headache and contain a combination of

two painkillers – codeine and paracetamol.

Pink ones also contain an extra anti-sickness

ingredient, plus another compound that helps

with the other symptoms of migraine.

Both forms of the drug are highly effective

and many patients find they provide the

relief they need. But since the summer of

2018, there has been a worsening shortage –

I’ve seen many patients unable to access the

medicine for more than a year.

However, there are alternatives from your

GP that are just as effective. These include

I AppLAUD Dame Barbara windsor for

taking a stand against the Government’s

shocking disregard for Alzheimer’s patients.

the 82-year-old former eastenders actress,

pictured left, who was diagnosed with

the disease in 2014, is set to march to

Downing street to deliver a petition calling

for investment in social care – a lifeline for

her and millions of others.

my heart sinks for my dementia patients. It

is ludicrous that barely any care provisions

are in place for sufferers of this cruel disease.

Instead, patients, many of whom live alone,

must fund their own care.

I have seen desperate families forced to sell

their homes, or else relatives forced to give

up work and become carers themselves.

when social services do step in, staff are

often too stretched to dedicate adequate

time to patients. some dash off after just

ten minutes.

And the problem will only get worse –

more than a million of us will have the

disease by 2025.

I just hope that those at no 10 Downing

street are listening.

BABS IS RIGHT TO LEAD

FIGHT ON DEMENTIA

WIREIMAGE / GETTY

Sugar

count

How much sugar

lurks inside

your favourite

foods?

Tesco Teacakes

Warburtons Fruit Teacakes

Sugar

3½ tsp

per

teacake

Sugar

2 tsp

per

teacake

How can I ease

this awful pain

if I can’t get my

migraine pills?

commonly used drugs known as

triptans, which come in the form

of pills, nasal sprays and even

wafers that melt on the tongue.

They need to be taken as soon

as you feel a migraine coming on

and may not work when taken

during an aura – where patients

also experience flashing lights,

blind spots or tingling in the

hands and face.

Anti-sickness drugs, such

as prochlorperazine and

metoclopramide, are also

available on prescription and

can help some patients.

Topiramate, often given to treat

epilepsy, can help too.

Otherwise, beta-blockers that

are sometimes used to treat

anxiety – such as propranolol –

can be effective.

oVER the past year I’ve noticed

my left eyelid has started

drooping. It’s not affecting my

sight but my doctor says to

just wait and see what happens.

Should I be worried?

A d rOOPING eyelid is

commonly caused by a

condition called ptosis. The

muscle involved with opening

the eyelid stops working

effectively, leaving it partially

shut all the time. It’s not only a

cosmetic problem – it also

interferes with vision, depending

how much your eyelid opens. It

can also cause uncomfortable

eye strain and aching.

Ptosis can occur in later life

simply due to ageing and a

weakening of the muscles, or

due to an injury. But there can

also be other, serious causes,

such as nerve diseases, a stroke

or a tumour affecting the nerve

or muscles of the eyelid.

If no underlying cause is found,

surgery to correct ptosis is

usually performed, particularly

if vision is affected. during the

operation, the muscle is

corrected, making the eyelid

function again. Far more

commonly, drooping eyelids

are caused not by nerve or

muscle damage, but by excess

skin of the upper eyelid.

The eyelid becomes more

hooded, sagging with age or

sun damage. It is considered

a cosmetic issue and treated

with an operation called

blepharoplasty. However, this is

generally not offered on the NHs

unless vision is compromised.

done privately, it can cost

between £2,000 and £6,000.

Whatever the cause of a

drooping eyelid, surgery is the

only option. It is important for

a doctor to confirm the cause,

as the underlying problem

could be serious.